ATP-Enhanced Multistimuli-Responsive Förster Resonance Energy Transfer in Organic Coassemblies

In recent years, ATP has emerged as an anionic biocomponent for the design of dynamic and stimuli-responsive supramolecular assemblies. Herein, we present ATP-enhanced Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in the coassemblies of pyrene-imidazolium amphiphiles with pyrene acting as an excellent donor for the coembedded acceptor dyes to generate tunable multiluminescent materials in aqueous solutions and in polymer and solid films. We achieved high energy transfer efficiency up to 95% even at a donor/acceptor (D/A) ratio of 100:1. By a simple variation of the D/A ratio, emission covering almost the whole range of the visible spectrum from blue to red including white light was obtained in solution and in solid and polymer films. Furthermore, the systems exhibited FRET ON/OFF features controlled by various stimuli such as temperature, pH, and metal ions. Most notably, a ratiometric and linear luminescence response to temperature and pH was observed. The stimuli-responsive tunable solid-state emission was further exploited in encryption-decryption applications.